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The French organisation is encouraging musicians around the world to fit electronic chips to their instruments and bows and register them with the network

French network Anipo is encouraging musicians around the world to fit electronic chips to their instruments and bows in an effort to stamp out theft.

The organisation's website includes instructions on where and how to fit the chip, which should measure 5mm in diameter, 0.4mm in depth, and weigh less than 0.1g. Musicians can then register the chip's unique number on the website database.

Anipo also hopes that in the future microchips will help to identify instruments and bows at customs boarders and at airports, where officials are likely to confiscate items suspected of containing illegal substances, such as African elephant ivory in the US.

'Anipo proposes to help musicians fight against the trafficking and resale of stolen instruments by a simple identification process,' says to the network's website. 'Thanks to a passive microchip, which does not emit waves, the instrument is connected to the Anipo community, which promotes the return of the instrument to its owner.'

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